1. Field
The following description relates to a method and system for relaying data over a multi-user multi-hop multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) network.
2. Description of Related Art
It is estimated that about one percent of all devices currently existing around the world are connected through a network. Typically, a communication system is used as a means of connecting one person to another person. Ericsson, one of the largest companies providing network communication devices, predicts that about 5 billion devices will be connected to each other through the Web by the year 2020. These devices include terminals, smart phones, sensors, appliances, and the like.
In addition, a large number of smart phone users tend to utilize a variety of applications for sharing contents, synchronization, output, games, and the like more readily through direct connection between devices. In order to respond to the increasing demand due to such a market change, it is important to develop wireless access technology that supports direct connection between devices. For example, a wireless access technology overtaking cellular communication using an existing infrastructure, is increasing.
Such a market atmosphere is reflected in recent discussions on device-to-device (D2D) communication standards organized by standardization groups for next generation mobile communication systems. For example, the standardization groups include the third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16, and the like.
One of the earliest D2D communication schemes employs a transmission scheme in which a single hop is assumed. However, a future D2D communication may utilize a plurality of hops. In addition, in most relay technologies to date, a plurality of relay nodes have been used for obtaining a diversity gain or a multiplexing gain on the assumption that a single source node and a single destination node are provided.
However, going forward, signals may be transmitted by a plurality of source-destination pairs, simultaneously, over a multiple unicast multi-hop network.